Illuminated aerial top



June 29, 1965 R. A. YAGJIAN 3,191,344

ILLUMINATED AERIAL TOP Filed Feb. 19, 1962 INVENTOR.

RALPH A. YAGJ l AN BY v M* Myx ATTORNEYS 3,191,344 ELLUMINATED AERIAL TGP Ralph A. Yagjian, 144 Elm St., Worcester, Mass. Fiied Feb. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 174,191

1 Claim. (Qi. 46-228) The present invention is an illuminated toy, the toy being known in the art as a Yo-yo, an object of which is to provide a Yo-yo, operated by manual dexterity, the centrifugal force of the spinning Yo-yo closing electrical circuits, to illuminate the Yo-yo, the electrical circuits automatically opening, Vwhen the Yo-yo stops spinning.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a toy Vcomposed of a non-frangible casing, preferably Imade of translucent colored plastic, the casing comprising a pairV of cups or shells each of ywhich carries a self-contained illuminating unit, automatically operable, by spinning the i casing, to effect illumination in both cups or shells while the toy is spinning, through the Yo-yo cord being expended and retracted; to provide a toy of relatively simple construction for economical manufacture and to permit facile opening and closing of the toy replacement of batteries and light bulbs; to provide a compact illuminated Yo-yo, the parts of which are positively held vfrom displacement during normal use; and to provide an illuminated Yo-yo which permits the Yo-yo to sleep, while illuminated, to obtain such patterns of movement as rocking the cradle-walking the dog-around the world, etc., which may presently be don-e by a dexterous manipulator of conventional Yo-yos, .and this also effects a flashing during vibratory travel of the Yo-yo on a floor or other surface. i'

Other objects of this invention will be manifest from the following description of the present preferred form of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: Y Y 1 FIG. l is Van elevational view of an illuminated Yo-yo constructed in accordance with this linvention, parts thereof being broken away to disclose details, and with parts shown in dotted lines indicating the position of the cups or shells when separated from the electrical units;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction `of the arrows,V

and showing the light bulb out of contact; y

FIG. 4 is a similar view showing the light bulb in contact, for closing the circuit;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view -taken on'the line 5-5 of FIG. 1, looking in the directionA of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a perspective viev, of a combination battery Contact strip and supporting bracket for an electric light bulb; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a battery contact strip and contact for the electric light bulb.

The device of this invention includes a pair of cups or shells 10 which may be wholly .orV partly translucent and preferably made of non-frangible plastic. The cups are adapted for the reception of self-contained illuminating units A and B mounted in the cups and secured together in the manner sho-wn in FIG. 2. The units A and B are of almost identical construction with the exception of a difference in the discal bases 11 and 12 of the units. The base of the unit A is provided with an axial bore which issues into a bevelled recess 13 adapted for the receptionV of .a complemental head 14 `formed on a screw 15. TheV head is provided with' a kerf 16' and is counter-sunk in the recess 13, as advantageously illustrated in FIG. 2. The shank of the screw 15 is threaded into a complemental bore formed axially in the disk 12, including a boss or enlargement 17. The boss 17 is circumscribed by a ring assises Patented Jurifg, 1965 18, the opposite edges of which latter are contiguous to the opposed faces of ythe discs 1:1 and 12. yBy this arrangement the illuminating units A and B are held together through the medium of the screw 15 in conjunction with the ring 1S, also as illustrated to advantage in FIG. 2. This means for securing the units together also provides the medium by which the Yo-yo is supported when being used through a conventional Yo-yo cord 19. The inner end of the cord 19 is convoluted, as indicated at 20, so as to permit its being loosely looped around the ring 1S for a purpose more fully hereinafter described. The peripheries of the discs 11 and 12 are provided with suitable means complementing the structure on the inner walls of the shells or cups lil adjacent the inner free edges of the latter. In the present instance, the means is shown to consist of protrusions 21 which are adapted to be snapped into complemental recesses 22 formed in the reinforced margins 23 of the free inner edges of the shells. The protrusions 21 may be continuous or interrupted, with sutlicient purchase to hold the cups or shells in frictional engagement with the disks 11 and 12.

Each of the illuminating units A and B additionally includes a plurality of strategically positioned pins 24 adapted for the reception of a combination battery-engaging plate 25 and electric light bulb supporting bracket 26 made of yieldable metal. form to the contour of one end of a battery 27 within the confines of a pair of pins 24, as illustrated to .advantage in FIGS. 3 and 4. A second battery-engaging plate designated 25 is also employed, one end of which, indicated at 28, forms a contact for the electric light bulb of its unit to close the electrical circuit under certain conditions. Each of the brackets 26 is adapted to have screw-threaded 4therein an electric light bulb 29.

j ','As is believed to be apparent from the above descripunder manipulation of the Yo-yo cord 19, the circuits are closed by reason of the contact of the bulbs 29 with the contact plates 28, When the spinning stops, the bulbs are flexed away from the contact plates 23 under the iniluence .of the brackets Z6.

In luse of this device, after the convoluted end 20 of the cord has been looped around the ring 18, the cord is then wound around said ring until onlyan operating length of the cord remains extended beyond the perimeter of the Yo-yo. This is the operating end of the cord which is usually looped lfor engagement over a finger of the user, and by manualdex'terity the cord is successfully expended and retracted in order to set up the centrifugal action of theA Yo-yo to effect lighting of the units A and B. It is to be understood that the Yo-yo of this invention is adapted to be manipulated after the fashion of a conventional Yo-yo in the hands of a skillful manipulator, so

as to obtain special patterns of movement while illumination of the Yo-yo is maintained. Also, where vibratory travel of the Yo-yo is effected on the floor or other surface, under skillful operation of the Yo-yo cord a flashing effect of the electrical units may be obtained.

While there is herein shown a preferred form -of the invention, nevertheless it will be obvious that various changes may be made within the scope of the claim hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

An illuminated Yo-yo including a pair of translucent cups, means for detachably connecting said cups in spaced relation, a plurality of pins mounted in each cup, each cup containing an illuminating unit comprising a combination battery-engaging plate and electric light bulb supporting bracket, of resilient, electrically conducting material, the battery-engaging plate being shaped to con- The plate 25 is shaped to confQrn/iI to the; contour of one end of a battery within the 2,795,898 6/ 57 French 46-61 X contines of a plurality of said pins, and a second battery- 2,836,009 5/58 Wang 46-228 engaging plate `of electrically conducting material, said 2,891,351 6/59 Madaras et al. 46-61 Plate being shaped iQ engage and. be Supported by the cthr `end Of the battery Within the contines of a second 5 FOREIGN PATENTS plurality of said pins, one end Qf said plate fcgi-ming a 746,299 3/33 France contact 4fm' the electric light Ibulb normally spaced theref 747,320 3 /33 Franca from, and a. Cord, One, @11d of which iS convoluted 0n 703,781 2/54 Great Britain. said ineans for clecting spinning of the Y0-yo, under manipulation ofthe free. end of the cord, for lighting said 10 References Cited by the Applicant units by vibrating the resilient brackets, or opening and UNITD ATE'S PATENTS dosing the Circuits' 1 9 526 8/727 i i Y I Reternces Cited by the Exaner "63 ayr' y UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner..

2,611,995 9,/52 K rapp 46-65 21,623,327 12/.52 Teatino 46.-228

LEONARD, W. VARNER, Examiner.

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